Table 3 Exploratory Factor Analysis of the Chinese Version of the JSPE-S

16. Physicians’ understanding of the emotional status of their patients, as well as that of their families, is one important component of the physician–patient relationship.

.758

.185

.009

15. Empathy is a therapeutic skill without which the physician’s success is limited.

.750

.310

-.052

17. Physicians should try to think like their patients in order to render better care.

.715

.212

.019

20. I believe that empathy is an important therapeutic factor in the medical treatment.

.697

.247

-.021

10. Patients value a physician’s understanding of their feelings which is therapeutic in its own right.

.669

.173

.116

13. Physicians should try to understand what is going on in their patients’ minds by paying attention to their nonverbal cues and body language.

.634

.278

-.062

4. Understanding body language is as important as verbal communication in physician–patient relationships.

.624

.086

.241

2. Patients feel better when their physicians understand their feelings.

.595

-.001

.202

9. Physicians should try to stand in their patients’ shoes when providing care to them.

.566

-.016

.095

5. A physician’s sense of humor contributes to a better clinical outcome.

.558

-.037

.198

18. Physicians should not allow themselves to be influenced by strong personal bonds between their patients and their family members.

-.405

-.028

.196

14. I believe that emotion has no place in the treatment of medical illness.

.299

.743

.127

11. Patients’ illnesses can be cured only by medical or surgical treatment; therefore, physicians’ emotional ties with their patients do not have a significant influence in medical or surgical treatment.

.193

.693

.070

12. Asking patients about what is happening in their personal lives is not helpful in understanding their physical complaints.

.181

.675

.126

8. Attentiveness to patients’ personal experiences does not influence treatment outcomes.

.022

.633

.172

7. Attention to patients’ emotions is not important in history taking.

.244

.586

.368

1. Physicians’ understanding of their patients’ feelings and the feelings of their patients’ families does not influence medical or surgical treatment.

-.130

.493

-.120

19. I do not enjoy reading nonmedical literature or the arts.

.256

.474

.182

6. Because people are different, it is difficult to see things from patients’ perspectives.

.040

.151

.788

3. It is difficult for a physician to view things from patients’ perspectives.

.095

.261

.736

Percentage of variance

24.19%

15.72%

8.09%